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FDA Official Resigns Amid Public Pressure Campaign Led by Laura Loomer

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Dr. Vinay Prasad, a hematologist-oncologist at the University of California San Francisco, has resigned from his position as a top official at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after a week and a half of intense public scrutiny led by MAGA provocateur Laura Loomer. Prasad, who was chosen to replace Dr. Peter Marks as the head of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation, had been a prominent critic of the COVID-19 vaccine and opposed pandemic-era mask policies. His resignation comes amid accusations from Loomer that Prasad was "infiltrating" the FDA's leadership and "sabotaging" President Donald Trump's deregulatory agenda.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dr. Vinay Prasad, a hematologist-oncologist at the University of California San Francisco, resigned from his position as a top official at the FDA after a public pressure campaign led by Laura Loomer.
  • Prasad was chosen to replace Dr. Peter Marks as the head of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation, a position he held for 13 years and was instrumental in shaping the Operation Warp Speed effort to rapidly develop COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.
  • Prasad had previously criticized President Donald Trump and declared his support for political progressives, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, which apparently earned him the support of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
  • Loomer accused Prasad of "infiltrating" the FDA's leadership and "sabotaging" Trump's deregulatory agenda, and his resignation was announced on Tuesday, despite Kennedy privately defending him.
  • During his short tenure, Prasad had already limited the use of the COVID-19 vaccine and amplified warnings about a rare cardiac side effect of the jabs.
  • He also asked the maker of gene therapy drug Elevidys to voluntarily stop shipping the drug after three people died of liver complications following its use, and threatened to halt clinical trials involving the drug when the company refused.
  • The company, Sarepta Therapeutics, has denied that the deaths were linked to its treatment, and it has been revealed that former Republican Sen. Rick Santorum has ties to the company and called top White House officials to complain about Prasad's efforts to limit Elevidys.
  • Prasad's ousting demonstrates the inherent conflict between Kennedy and the MAHA movement, which has vowed to crack down on the pharmaceutical industry, and MAGA's crusade against government regulation.

Statistics:

  • 13 years: the amount of time Dr. Peter Marks held the position of head of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation.
  • 25%: the amount by which Sarepta Therapeutics' stock fell after Prasad's appointment to the FDA.
  • 3: the number of people who died of liver complications following the use of gene therapy drug Elevidys.
  • 1.5 weeks: the amount of time Prasad was under public scrutiny led by Laura Loomer before his resignation.

Sources:

  • The Daily Beast: "Top FDA Official Resigns Citing Misinformation and Lies" (https://www.thedailybeast.com/top-fda-vaccine-official-resigns-citing-misinformation-and-lies/)
  • CNN: "FDA appoints new head of Center for Biologics Evaluation" (https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/06/health/fda-vinay-prasad-vaccines)
  • The New York Times: "Vinay Prasad, an F.D.A. Official, Resigns After Criticism From Laura Loomer" (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/29/health/vinay-prasad-fda-resigns-loomer.html)

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